What’s new in Shanghai?

With a population of more than 24 million people, Shanghai is one of the largest and most developed cities in mainland China. Thanks to the efforts of Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration(SMTA), the metropolis might also well be THE Asian meeting place par excellence. But what’s new in Shanghai? Let’s find out!

Shanghai is known for its unique style and fascinating blend of the old with the new, the East with the West, from art and architecture to cutting-edge style and ancient tradition. As a well-developed tourist city, it offers a wide range of tourism facilities for both business andleisure visitors.

While the friendly openness of the people is unsurpassed, the city is accessible to almost everywhere around the world. Ninety-four airlines operate flights connecting Shanghai with 256 cities, andin 2014 alone, the city welcomed about eight million overseas touristsandmore than 268 million domestic travelers.

As a huge metropolis, Shanghai is always on the move. Here are the latest infrastructure developments worth considering by association planners.

Shanghai Disney Resort, the first Disneyland in mainland China,will open soon, showcasingdozens of all-new attractions and entertainment offerings withapproaches of East-meets-West.Shanghai isalsoa great MICE destination with a large variety ofworld-leading venuesand facilities, such as the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (Shanghai), the world’s largest single block building and exhibition complex. At Shanghai Tower, visitors will soon be able to ride the world’s fastest elevator to the observation decks to enjoy a 360-degree view of the city.

Shanghai is also arelaxing place rich in historical heritage, with well preserved cultural remains such as the ancient water town Zhujiajiao in Qingpu district, classic gardens of Qing Dynasty Shanghai Fangta Garden and Zuibaichi Park.

Worth noting is that transit tourists from 51 countries are now permitted a 72-hour visa-free stay inside Shanghai – making it easy to organize a meeting there with no hassle. Overseas tourists who stay in the Chinese mainland for no more than 183 days can also receive an11% discounton consumer goodspurchased at designated department stores. The minimum purchase for a tax refund is 500 yuan (about $US82) at any one store in one day.

www.meet-in-shanghai.net